Growing Old
by Rauros Falls
Summary: Alanna, Jon, Gary, and Raoul discuss how old they are getting. It's only semihumorous. Oneshot.


**A/N: I just realized that by the end of TQ, Jon would have been around fifty. That just seems extremely old to me. This is a oneshot of what the four original knights think about being old.**

**And then there's Myles. If Jon's fifty, then Myles is…**

**Disclaimer: Do I really have to tell you that I don't own the characters?**

**Growing Old**

"What are _you_ doing here?" Raoul, a man wearing the colors of the Kings Own, asked the intruder. "The book room is _my_ hideout."

The intruder, a woman with copper colored hair and violet eyes smirked. "I can't believe you don't remember how much I used to dislike these formal things."

Her response drew a hearty laugh from the large knight. "Yes, Alanna, I remember. How could _anyone_ forget the look on your face after three dances with Delia?"

The Lioness wrinkled her nose at the other girl's name. "And here I thought all of you were too lovesick to care."

"You looked like you had just eaten a lemon."

"It's not surprising, Delia was worse than a rancid lemon."

"Who was worse than a rancid lemon?" A third voice chimed in.

"Alright, who are you two avoiding?" Raoul questioned.

Alanna and Gary gave each other knowing and nodded slowly. "Lady Jeannie." They said in unison.

"Lady Jeannie?" Raoul wondered aloud.

Both of the other knights began ranting at the same time.

"Mythros! The woman won't stop talking!"

"She's crazy! Completely out of her mind."

They stopped abruptly and looked at each other apologetically.

Gary explained. "Lady Jeannie's new at court, she's from the Copper Isles, one of the Luarin. And if Alanna's experience was anything like mine, the lady is insane. She talks to you as if she's known you her entire life. Gods, I practically know her whole life story."

"And she's so disgustingly _happy_ all the time." Alanna added with a grimace.

A door slammed as the king tumbled in saying, "I swear, if she says one more word, I'm going to—" Jon stopped suddenly as he noticed the three knights.

"Lady Jeannie?" they asked.

The king nodded tiredly.

"Well this is wonderful." Raoul spat. "I think I'll run out and thank her for ruining my evening. At this rate half the castle will be in here by the end of tonight."

"She wouldn't care. She'd just follow them in." Gary pointed out.

Alanna and Jon's eyes widened in horror.

"Wait! We can hide in my private study."

* * *

When the door was securely locked behind them, the knights all heaved relieved sighs and sank into cushioned chairs around a small table. Jon called for some drinks. 

"I feel a little bad, leaving our friends out there to deal with her." Alanna said, starting to stand back up.

"If you want to go out with _her_ no one's stopping you. You can be the live bait to allow them to escape." Replied Jon, waving a hand at the door.

She instantly sat back down. "Well, I don't feel _that_ bad."

"No one's blaming you…" Raoul chuckled. "Though, I find it quite funny that the king's in here hiding when he makes such a big deal about my participation at parties."

Jon sighed. "I'm sorry, Raoul, I've been meaning to apologize about that." He paused. "Unfortunately, if I don't make you come occasionally it seems like I'm loosing control over my vassals, or that I'm giving you special treatment."

"I understand."

Gary smirked. "Hey, Jon, you can be annoying, but you're not half as bad as Jeannie."

"I know. I hope I'm not like that when I'm old."

"You _are _old Jon! We're _all_ old!" Alanna interjected. "We're boring old married people with nothing better to do than nag at each other."

"When Kel was my squire she told me that she couldn't see me ever being one." Raoul sighed.

Jon's forehead creased. "Has it really been that long?"

"My little Aly has gone off and made her own legacy. I'm a grandmother." Alanna said wearily. "You're over fifty, Jon."

Jon let out a low whistle.

"No one ever said being old would hurt so much." The Lady Knight added, rubbing her thigh.

Raoul grinned and poked Gary's stomach. "No one said getting old would make you so _heavy_ either."

Gary frowned. "I never meant to become a desk knight. It just happened somehow… Sometimes it feels like I wasted some of my life… I should have been out fighting instead of paper-shuffling."

"I'm partially at fault for that too." Jon said apologetically.

"Not really in the same way. I didn't have to accept. And we all make mistakes."

"I'm still sorry."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Alanna spoke up again.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Squire Alan."

"I miss all of Gary's pranks." Raoul admitted.

Jon nodded. "Those were good times. Remember all of the trips to the Dancing Dove?"

"Don't you wish you could make time stop?" Alanna wished.

"At least we still have our memories." Gary murmured. "And each other."

"No matter how much we've changed." Added Raoul.

Jon held his glass aloft. "Here's to three of the greatest squires." He paused to grin at Alanna. "And a miniature one."

The glasses came together in a solid _clink_.

"Friends for life."

**A/N: Reviews are always nice. And inspiring.**


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